kind of lame, but it's one of P's most Dylanesque songs - with no clear meaning

what's your take?

doesurdaddycry said:

I've always heard it had something to do with record executives or something.

?

This number occurs frequently in Scripture, and in such connections as lead to
the supposition that it has some typical meaning.

On the seventh day God rested, and hallowed it (Gen. 2:2, 3). The division of time into weeks of seven days each accounts for many instances of the occurrence of this number.

This number has been called the symbol of perfection, and also the symbol of rest.

"Jacob's seven years' service to Laban; Pharaoh's seven fat oxen and seven lean
ones; the seven branches of the golden candlestick; the seven trumpets and the
seven priests who sounded them; the seven days' siege of Jericho; the seven
churches, seven spirits, seven stars, seven seals, seven vials, and many
others, sufficiently prove the importance of this sacred number" (see Lev.
25:4; 1 Sam. 2:5; Ps. 12:6; 79:12; Prov. 26:16; Isa. 4:1; Matt. 18:21, 22; Luke
17:4). The feast of Passover (Ex. 12:15, 16), the feast of Weeks (Deut. 16:9),
of Tabernacles (13:15), and the Jubilee (Lev. 25:8), were all ordered by seven.
Seven is the number of sacrifice (2 Chr. 29:21; Job 42:8), of purification and
consecration (Lev. 42:6, 17; 8:11, 33; 14:9, 51), of forgiveness (Matt. 18:21,
22; Luke 17:4), of reward (Deut. 28:7; 1 Sam. 2:5), and of punishment (Lev.
26:21, 24, 28; Deut. 28:25). It is used for any round number in such passages
as Job 5:19; Prov. 26:16, 25; Isa. 4:1; Matt. 12:45. It is used also to mean
"abundantly" (Gen. 4:15, 24; Lev. 26:24; Ps. 79:12).



And, like most of us, Prince has always been a very spirtual person. He finds favor in this number. He IS a perfectionist .. So that, he can't even please himself.

it's not as much about the number 7 as it is about those
7 who "stand in the way of love".

so it's not sufficient to simply say that the song just
represents the number 7 and it's meaning.

not that i am deeply religious but on the sleeve of the cd i found a clue ,its a mirror message along the side of the lyrics to 7, that lead me to read the book of revelations in the bible. When i read that, the song made sense. Book of revelations is a really strange thing to read, heavy stuff in there. i had the lyrics to 7 in front of me and could see what it referred to as i read revelations. Wonder if his take on the book of revelations has changed at all since becoming a jehovah's witness, there is some pretty gruesome stuff like the end of the world etc .

There's been a few good fan disections of the lyrics to '7' and how they relate and mirror certain passages in the Book of Revelations in the Bible.

As to it's meaning, I'm guessing Prince just gets off on the apocalyptic stories in the Bible, since it's a running theme throughout his music (1999, Let's Go Crazy, Purple Rain, SOTT, Play In The Sunshine, Crystal Ball et all).

The meaning of Revelations itself is entirely wide open to speculation and interpretation, since the text is largely an allegorical one, and not meant to be taken literally, and should be read in the context of the time and audience for which it was intended, not a 21st century audience (which is where a lot of the Christian silliness and scare-mongering comes into play).

I recall reading an interview with Prince on this back in 93/94 and he made reference to the 7 deadly sins [gluttony, greed etc..] with refernce to this track

7 is one of Prince's CLEAREST songs. It goes in rite along with the book of Revelations.

It's about Heaven and the 2nd coming.

Maybe he likes the fact he was born 6/07/1958

But I know 7 is in alot of his songs!! And the fact if you add 3121 it = 7
But also agree with all posts above.

All we can do is speculate

doesurdaddycry said:

7 Chakras in the body - necessary to climb and open to become realized...

riverjones said:

DING! DING! DING! We have a winnuh! That's what "7" is all about - The Seven Deadly Sins. "All 7, and we'll watch them fall"

riverjones said:

Interesting...are these 7 sins in the Bible? If so, please state where one can find them. Agree that these have to go to realize what one is...the ego is the eclipser that manifests these 7 "gothchas."

its taken from the Book of Revelations...jeez ya'll

raddahone said:

eehhhhh.. wrong

I think its rather obvious that the song 7 is dealing with the seven seals and plagues of the 'beast' which are spoken about in the book of revelations.

The song is about overcoming the 7 plagues and being saved in the end.

so, it has nothing to do with chakras, and numberology, its a very basic, bible-inspired lyric, nothing more.